Screw driver



June 19, 1945. A. T. JOHNSON SCREW DRIVER Filed March 31, 1944 ALGOT TJOHNSON,

ms am Patented June 19, 1945 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE zsvsms scaaw m Algot '1. Johnson, Jamestown, N. 1. Application March :1, 1944, serial No. mass 4 Claims. (01. 279-06) This invention relates to a screw driver or equivalent tool.

It is aimed to provide a novel construction having a double-ended blade, wherein either blade is disposable in operative position with the other blade housed in the handle.

It is particularly aimed to provide a novel means for detachably securing the blade to the handle and specifically including an expansible sleeve anchored in a plastic or other handle so as to be capable of yielding when being engaged and disengaged by a ball latch or the like carried by the blade.

Further, it is aimed to provide a particularly coacting blade and bushing, the blade carrying a latched ball which is spring pressed as well as projecting lugs, and the bushing having a depression engageable by the latch ball and having grooves engaged by the lugs.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment by way of example.

In said drawim- Figure 1 is a view of the improved screw drive in side elevation;

Figure 2 is an end view of the handle thereof;

Figure 3 is a view of the blade detached;

Figure 4 is asubstantially central longitudinal sectional view through the screw driver, the blade being shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is an end elevation reversed to Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line A-A of Figure 4;

Figure 'l is a detail perspective view of the bushing employed; and

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the central portion of the blade.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, a suitable handle is provided at Ill, preferably of plastic material and having longitudinal depressions or grooves II on the exterior thereof to facilitate gripping action by the hand of the operator. Such handle iii has a hollow or cavity l2 and the entrance thereto is enlarged at it and has a metallic or other bushing ll anchored therein as by molding the plastic of the handle to it. Such bushing is longitudinally split at I! so that it may contract and expand and it is to be understood that the plastic material of [the handle II is of such a nature as to permit the expansion and contraction.

Said

bushing has diametrically opposite longitudinally extending slots I. and offset walls I'I covering the same and which when anchored in the handle greatly adds to the security of the connection of the bushing to the handle and to prevent danger of the bushing turning relatively to the handle.

A screw-driver blade or equivalent tool II has two screw driver ends or bits It and at the opposite ends thereof, and which are preferably of diifei'ent size. Such blade is adapted to be releasably but firmly secured to the handle with either end It or 20 outermost and with the other end housed within the cavity I2.

To accomplish the end last mentioned, said blade ll midway of its ends has a pair of diametrically opposed ribs 2| which are slidable snugly into and out of the grooves or slots it.

Such ribs are preferably centrally depressed as shown.

In addition to the ribs, a latch in the form of a ball 22 is secured to the blade midway of its ends as by seating it in a spherical recess 23 and upsetting the metal of the blade as shown to retain it in place. Such latch ball 22 is urged outwardiy by an expansive spring 24 so that it will snap into a spherical depression 25 in the inner v annular wall of the bushing I4.

Due to the fact that the bushing is split and that the handle I l in which it is anchored is made of plastic material, there is suflicient expansion and contraction incidental to the attachment and detachment of the blade to enable the ball latch 22 to readily engage and disengage the depression or recess 22. It will be clear that the blade may be secured in the handle with either end It or 20 outermost and that the parts when positioned, will be rigidly connected.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A of the class described having a handle, a bushing secured therein, said bushing being split, a tool blade, said blade having a portion interenga'geabie with a slot of the bushing, said bushing having a wall anchored in the handle and offset to provide said slot, and springpressed latch means between said portion and the bushing. v

2. A tool of the class described having a handle. a split bushing anchored therein having diagonally opposite slots, a bladehaving parts engageable in said slots, an offset wall on said bushing anchored in the handle preventing relative turning at the bushing and handle, and interengageable latch means between the blade and bushing comprising a spring-biased ball carried by the blade, and said bushing having a depression on its interior engageable by the ball.

3. A tool of the class described having a handle, a split bushing anchored therein having diagonally opposite slots, a blade having parts engageable in said slots, an offset wall on said bushing anchored in the handle preventing relative turning of the bushing and handle, and inter engageable latch means between the blade and 4. A tool of the class described having a handle, a split bushing anchored therein having diagonally opposite slots, a blade having parts engageable in said slots, and interengageable latch means between the blade and bushing, comprising a spring-biased ball carried by the blade, and said bushing having a depression engageable by the ball, said parts comprising ribs, said bushing opposite the ribs having walls offset to prothe bushing.

- ALGO I T. JOHNSON. 

